TL;DR
As of 2023, the most watched sporting events in the world are:
- World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers
- Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers
- Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers
- Women’s World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers
- Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers
- Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers
- UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers
- Super Bowl – 115.1 Million Viewers
- Wimbledon – 25.6 Million Viewers
- NBA Finals – 17.8 Million Viewers
- World Cup of Rugby- 17 Million Viewers
- Kentucky Derby – 16.6 Million Viewers
- The Masters – 15 Million Viewers
- World Series – 14.73 Million Viewers
- NCAA Final Four – 14.7 Million Viewers
In the height of the streaming era, it’s clear that sports media consumption is shifting rapidly — but people around the world are still tuning in to watch their favorite sporting events live. Edging out the Tour de France, the World Cup of Soccer recently became the most watched sporting event worldwide, when more than 5 billion people watched the tournament in some capacity in 2022.
Nothing quite compares to the excitement of live sports or the experience of watching a competition unfold in real-time alongside the rest of the world, which is why sporting events continue to be such a draw — regardless of our multitasking habits or our incessant need to be constantly scrolling our phones.
If you are looking to avoid that unrelenting sensation sports FOMO — be sure to tune in to these most watched events around the world.
Our Methodology — Ranking the Most Watched Sporting Events Worldwide
As recently as a decade ago, determining the most watched sporting events was much simpler — you simply looked at TV ratings and noted the viewership numbers. However, today, viewers are tuning into their favorite events in ways that are more convenient and accessible.
Our methodology for ranking the most watched sports events worldwide incorporates:
- TV Viewership (including streaming)
- Duration of Viewership and Peak Viewership Levels
- Most Recent Event
What Are the Most Watched Sporting Events Around the World?
Taking into account the TV viewership, duration of viewership, and peak viewership of the most recent major sporting events in the world, it may come as no surprise that soccer dominates our list of the top 15 most-watched sporting events. While soccer makes an appearance four times (World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Champions League Final, and the Summer Games), there are plenty of other sports that boast impressive numbers of viewers. While you’ll find popular American sports like football and baseball on the list, you’ll also find global sports like cricket and rugby. Take a look below to see if your favorite event is on the list.
If you want to make sure that you are part of those epic moments, you will want to catch these most watched sporting events around the world:
1. World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers
World Cup frenzy reached record heights in 2022, when an anticipated 5 billion viewers tuned in to watch some portion of the tournament around the world — and 1.5 billion people watched the World Cup Final game alone.
While the viewership numbers are incredible, the engagement with the tournament is practically unbelievable. FIFA reported in January 2023 that there were nearly 6 billion engagements with the World Cup on social media, with Nielsen data revealing that there were more than 93.6 million posts across all social platforms about the tournament.
This 32-team tournament (which will be expanded to 48 teams in 2026) features national soccer teams from around the globe competing until ultimately one team is crowned champion. Held quadrennially, the World Cup is the pinnacle event in the sport and boasts huge attendance numbers every year. The 1950 Final game holds the record for attendance at a sporting event in an enclosed stadium with a whopping 199,854 spectators.
Next World Cup: June – July 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the United States
2. Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers
Raking in more than 3.5 billion viewers in recent years, the Tour de France is one of the most watched sporting events worldwide. The 2023 event drew in record numbers domestically, with more than 42.5 million viewers in France alone.
Compared to other sporting events around the world, the Tour de France draws a large audience — but they don’t necessarily stick with the broadcast for the entirety. In 2023, viewership peaked during stage 16’s time trial, when 8.7 million viewers in France were watching. The average French viewer tuned in for a total of 55 minutes of coverage.
Taking place each summer in France, it is one of the most prestigious — and difficult — competitions in the sport. The race winds through the country’s scenic mountain roads, and consists of 21 stages totaling approximately 2,200 miles, raced over 23 days. Competitors race as part of an 8-person team, working together to achieve the fastest cumulative time.
Next Tour de France: June 29 – July 21, 2024, in France
3. Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers
North Americans may be surprised to find cricket on a list of most watched sporting events, but fans of the sport are well aware of how hugely popular cricket is in many parts of the world. The Cricket World Cup is the international championship for One Day International cricket. The contest features ten teams and lasts just over six weeks. Like the soccer World Cup, the tournament takes place every four years, with the next Cricket World Cup currently taking place in India.
The 2019 Cricket World Cup, hosted by England and Wales, set a new record for viewership. An incredible 2.6 billion people tuned in, making it the most watched cricket event of all time.
While the 2023 event is ongoing, the Men’s Cricket World Cup has already reported record viewing numbers for this year’s event, with an estimated 43 million viewers tuning into the match between New Zealand and India.
Next Cricket World Cup: October and November 2023 in India
4. Women’s World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers
The hype surrounding the Women’s World Cup reached fever pitch in 2023, when 2 billion people were expected to view some portion of the tournament. Viewership numbers nearly doubled from 2019, when FIFA determined that 1.12 billion people worldwide watched the tournament.
In countries around the world, the 2023 Women’s World Cup broke viewership records:
- At peak moments during the semi-final game between Australia and England, 11.15 million people were watching, which are the highest viewership numbers recorded for this portion of the tournament.
- In China, 53.9 million people watched the China versus England match, which was the highest single-game TV audience ever recorded in the country.
- In peak moments, 12 million viewers were watching the tournament in England on BBC One — meaning more people watched the women’s match then the men’s Wimbledon final in July 2023.
Following a similar format as the men’s tournament, national teams compete in a month-long tournament that begins with group-stage matches and ends with a knockout stage (playoff rounds). As interest in the sport as a whole continues to rise, the Women’s World Cup will continue to be a must-watch event.
Next Women’s World Cup: 2027 — Dates and Hosts TBD
5. Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers
Without a doubt, the Summer Games are one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world. The Games not only offer a variety of different sports to watch, they also feature incredible personal triumphs, underdog stories, record-breaking feats of strength and endurance, and the opportunity to showcase national pride. With people around the world eager to cheer on their home country, it is no wonder billions of people want to spectate.
Every four years, the Summer Games are hosted in one of the world’s most attractive destinations, contributing to it being one of the highest attended sporting events. With a global average reach of 2 billion viewers, it’s also one of the most watched on TV.
Next Summer Games: July 26 – August 11, 2024 in Paris, France
6. Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers
Though it may not attract the same amount of attention as the Summer Games, the Winter Games are still a hugely popular event that draws interest from around the globe. With popular sports including figure skating, alpine skiing, ice hockey, and snowboarding, the Games reaches a broad audience. The Winter Games take place over a 17-day period every four years.
A quarter of the world’s population (2 billion people) tuned in to watch a portion of the 2022 Winter Games, up slightly from the previous event in 2018.
Next Winter Games: February 6-22, 2026 in Milano Cortina
7. UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and the UEFA Champions League Final is one of its biggest events. The top teams in Europe battle all season to be one of two teams in this prestigious championship match. In 2023, 450 million viewers watched all or part of the Champions League final game, which saw Manchester City F.C. come out as the champions.
While viewership was in the millions, social engagement with the Champions League Final reached peak levels in 2023. UEFA reported that there were 6.5 billion interactions with its own social content alone, which included more than 3 billion views on its cross-platform videos. The jaw-dropping levels of social engagement continue to prove that viewership and interaction with live sporting events is changing rapidly in our digital era.
Next Champions League Final: June 1, 2024 in London, England
8. Super Bowl – 115.1 Million Viewers
In the minds of many Americans, Super Bowl Sunday is the most important holiday of the year. It’s become a national pastime to gather your family and friends, make all of your best snacks and sit in front of the largest TV you can find in order to enjoy the big game as well as the sure-to-go-viral commercials.
In 2023, the Super Bowl LVII raked in 115.1 million viewers on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming networks, which helped the event earn its place in history as the most-watched Super Bowl of all time.
One of the most interesting facets about Super Bowl viewership is that not all viewers are sports enthusiasts. There are a large portion of viewers who watch the game for the commercials alone, and another subset of viewers who are there for the iconic Half Time performances.
Super Bowl popularity is growing among women, in particular. In 2023, about 75 percent of women surveyed said they were planning to watch the game, which was up from 62 percent of female respondents in 2022.
Next Super Bowl: February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada
9. Wimbledon – 25.6 Million Viewers
It is the most famous tennis tournament in the world so it is no surprise that it’s one of the most watched sporting events, as well as the most attended. Every year, thousands of fans converge at the All England Club for two weeks of spectacular tennis. In 2023, more than 532,000 spectators were in attendance, which topped the record-setting attendance of 2022 by more than 17,000 guests.
In terms of TV viewership, the Wimbledon Championships in 2023 continued to break records. In total, more than 25.6 million viewers watched some part of the tournament in 2023, with viewership peaking at 11.3 million on the BBC as Carlos Alcaraz became the champion.
Next Wimbledon: July 1-14, 2024 in London, England
10. NBA Finals – 17.8 Million Viewers
Basketball fans follow their team for 82 games of the regular season, but the real fun begins when the playoffs start. With 30 teams fighting for 16 playoff spots, only two of which will make the NBA Finals, it’s kind of a big deal. The NBA Finals feature incredible basketball, an impressive celebrity presence, and a fun atmosphere…it’s no wonder so many people want to watch.
The NBA announced that the 2023 NBA playoffs were the most-watched in more than 5 years, with viewership peaking at 17.8 million viewers during Game 5 of the finals.
Social engagement also increased during the 2023 finals, with @NBA being the most-viewed brand on X (formerly known as Twitter) during the finals. Across all NBA social platforms, there were more than 8 billion views, which emphasized the fact that more people than ever viewed or interacted with the playoffs in some way.
Next NBA Finals: June 2024
11. World Cup of Rugby- 17 Million Viewers
Rugby’s premier event is the World Cup of Rugby, and like many big events is held every four years. Twenty of the best international teams compete in a six-week tournament until ultimately one team remains.
Figures from the recent 2023 World Cup of Rugby tournament showcase that the event is only growing in popularity, with a peak of 17 million viewers tuning in to the first game of the tournament between France and New Zealand — which was a higher viewership level than most final games during previous tournaments.
Next Rugby World Cup: 2027 in Australia
12. Kentucky Derby – 16.6 Million Viewers
Dubbed “the fastest two minutes in sports,” the Kentucky Derby is not just the most popular horse race in the United States, it’s also one of the premier horse races internationally. While Derby weekend is filled with plenty of different races, the highlight is the grand finale, which features three-year-old thoroughbreds racing one and one quarter miles around the historic Churchill Downs track.
During the most recent Kentucky Derby in 2023, viewership peaked at 16.6 million during a 15-minute time span on NBC, when Mage managed to take the lead and win the Derby.
While TV is still the preferred medium among those who are interested in the Derby, the streaming audience is quickly increasing. the Average Minute Audience on NBC streaming platform Peacock was 371,000 viewers, which was up 50 percent from 2022.
Next Kentucky Derby: May 4, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky
13. The Masters – 15 Million Viewers
The most prestigious tournament in the sport, the Masters takes place every spring in Augusta, Georgia. Attracting the best golfers from around the world, the Masters always boasts big names and a big crowd. Playing four rounds over four days, the top pros battle to become Masters Champion and don the elusive green jacket.
In 2023, viewership for The Masters increased by 19 percent, peaking at 15 million viewers during the final round. The 2023 tournament broke records, becoming the most-watched golf tournament on television in the past five years.
Next Masters: April 8-14, 2024
14. World Series – 14.73 Million Viewers
As the Houston Astros clinched the World Series title in 2022 during the 6th game of the final series, more than 14.73 million people were watching live on cable and streaming networks.
This beloved event is one of America’s favorite fall traditions. Every October, the Major League Baseball (MLB) season culminates with the World Series. The champion from the American League faces the champion from the National League in a best of seven series to become World Series champs.
Next World Series: October 2023 in Arizona and Texas
15. NCAA Final Four – 14.7 Million Viewers
While viewership numbers are trending downward for the Men’s NCAA Final Four tournament, there were still more than 14.7 million people who watched the UConn Huskies defeat the San Diego State Aztecs in April 2023. At one time, March Madness was considered the premier television event, sparking people around the country to create brackets and try to predict who would win this epic tournament. However, 2023 viewership levels were the lowest recorded for the tournament, signaling a shift in consumer demands for this sporting event.
Next NCAA Final Four: April 6-8 in Glendale, Arizona
If you are tired of watching the world’s biggest sporting events on television and want to finally experience your dream event live, we can help you out. Contact us to start planning your ultimate sports travel experience to one of the world’s most watched sporting events.
Alison Baker is the lead writer in Roadtrips’ marketing department. An avid traveller and passionate sports fan, she’s found her ideal fit at Roadtrips, one of the leaders in sports travel. Alison’s enjoyed working in the travel industry for the last 20 years and had the opportunity to experience it from all sides, from sales and marketing to quality assurance and hosting.